Support available for people living with, and caring for someone with, memory problems is slowly growing but people may not know what’s available or where. There are two groups in the village where people can go along and meet others who are experiencing the same issues and another group for the whole of the Charnwood area.
The Trinity Lunch Club (TLC) provides a place where those with dementia, along with the person caring for them, can come along for a lunch shared with others living and coping with similar situations. They can cater for up to 26 people and the volunteers socialise and eat with the group as well as preparing and serving the food.
Pam Brown, involved with the group told me that they pride themselves with making the tables look attractive and welcoming with tablecloths and flowers. They also have a pianist who plays the keyboard before and after the meal. Many of their members have established friendship groups outside the TLC and continue to support each other as situations change.
From time-to-time they are invited by John Storer House to join with some activities organised there and these have been enjoyed by members of the group who have been able to attend.
Thrive is a monthly meeting at Barrow Baptist Church that helps people with dementia do just that – thrive. It is open to people in Barrow who have dementia or memory problems and their carers.
It’s an informal hour, led by the group’s founder Marian Doel, that starts with a Christian message and a couple of songs. After that is a fun activity like skittles or chair volleyball (using balloons or a beachball), as people with varying ball skills have a go at a target, with mixed success. There are lots of laughs and it is certainly not competitive.
This is followed by singing along to old-time favourites. Most people with memory problems find long-term memories the easiest to recall, so songs from yesteryear go down well.
Tea/coffee and biscuits are served as people arrive, so there is a chance to chat and everyone is made welcome.
Thrive is a regular event on the calendar as Barrow Baptist works towards becoming a more dementia-friendly church.
The Soar Valley Dementia Project is part of the Dementia Engagement and Empowerment Project (DEEP). At its heart, DEEP ensures that people living with dementia have the opportunity to share, learn and support each other, making sure conversations happen about what matters to them. A phrase commonly used is “nothing about us without us”. People can just come along, be involved and be part of what happens locally, or become more involved nationally.
Groups are run independently. In Charnwood, people living with dementia meet together separately for the first hour, while their supporters and carers have coffee in the bar close by. Everyone gets together from 12pm to 12.30pm. This gives everyone a chance to talk and share experiences and ideas.
The focus is on the people living with dementia, who will make decisions about how it moves forward. New members are welcome to all these groups.
Karisa Krcmar
Trinity Lunch Club 
(contact Pam Brown on 07809 776 425 or email at p.m.brown@icloud.com)
Meets in the Trinity Rooms, Holy Trinity Church in the village for a two-course lunch and a chat at 12.30pm normally on the last Thursday of the month, excluding August and December.
The cost of the meal is £7.50 each and the upcoming dates are as follows:
Thursday, 28th March 2024
Thursday, 25th April 2024
Thursday, 23rd May 2024 – changed date
Thursday, 27th June 2024
Thursday, 25th July 2024
Thursday, 26th September 2024
Thursday, 31st October 2024
Thursday, 28th November 2024
Thrive at Barrow Baptist Church (contact Marian Doel on 07952 959508 or Barrow Baptist Church on 01509 416603) Meets at Barrow Baptist Church on the first Thursday of each month, from 2pm to 3pm
The Soar Valley Dementia Project (contact soarvalleydementiagroup@gmail.com - https://www.facebook.com/groups/268497769084912) Meets at Quorn Country Hotel every 2nd and 4th Monday of each month, 11am to 12.30pm